Among The Yoopies, 1

We were four days in the UP (hence "yoopies"), including Mackinac, doing a very good job of Covidial touring, that is, mostly scenic driving, scenic or otherwise interesting stops, not going inside hardly anywhere but wishing we could. In all this we were aided by the usual guidebooks, websites, etc., but mostly by email advice from extended in-law Jodie, who is a UP native. Thanks again, Jodie! (We'd visit her and Joey and nephew-in-law Joseph a few days later in Indianapolis).

About to ascend the Porcupine "Mountains," along Lake
Superior

Our earliest plans had included seeing the leaves in New
England, again; Covid cancelled that; but we found the
autumn leaves in the UP to be nearly as beautiful; many
hours driving through seemingly golden tunnels

I'm not sure lakes can count as sublime, but if they can, the
Great Lakes surely fit that category

At Lake of the Clouds

An abandoned mine: first of much more evidence of the region's
important mining history

Water levels in Lake Superior as well the others have risen
dramatically in recent years, resulting in shoreline erosion, etc.

Mid-October bloom

Pausing to appreciate the color

Surf's up; a blustery day...

Now in the town of Calumet, center of the copper mining age;
gawking at the curling arena (Canada is not far away)

World class rail plow

Half the nation's copper of the 19th century came from Calumet
and the UP; superseded by Butte, MT, thereafter

Stores, restaurants, generally open; public
offices, visitor centers, not so much

We were there mainly to see the 19th century architecture;
very reminiscent of Butte

Interestingly, just as Montana Tech is located in Butte, Michigan
Tech is located in nearby Houghton; above, main street, Calumet

Outside an attractive gift shop

One of several beautiful old USDA buildings

Alexander Agassiz, Copper King; son of the great 19th century
scientist Louis Agassiz (now in some disrepute because of his
creationism, racism, etc.), also dabbled in science, but mostly
created the largest of the mining conglomerates; also discovered
the lode in Chile that eventually superseded both Calumet and
Butte

Up North, Back East, Down South, Out West...

Describes our proposed itinerary for the next few months. We've visited all 50 of the States, but hardly all parts of all them, and one of our more significant omissions was the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We skirted it in 1970, on our first cross-country trip, staying in Canada--which we thought very exotic--but wanted to see the storied UP on this trip. Thus "up north." Back east are friends and family, chiefly younger daughter Rachel and her husband Will, with whom we'll stay a couple weeks. Then, we'll head a bit south (and west), to spend a few weeks in Knoxville with Vicki's sister Marie and her husband Norm (and Stacey and the boys). Then, depending on such things as weather, health, pandemic, etc., we'll venture further south for more friends. And then, again, depending, we'll head back west, arriving in time to enjoy the Saturnalia and other solsticial events with older daughter Rebecca and family. Depending....

We left Missoula October 5th, and had set an October 15th date for arriving in DC. First: the seemingly endless wastes of eastern Montana and western North Dakota. We didn't even stop for diesel in ND, the Covid situation there being so dire. Eastern ND looks and feels like Minnesota, green, with lots of lakes, continuing into a bit of Wisconsin, and finally landing in the UP. We were in something of a hurry that first thousand miles, and we didn't much stop nor take pix. It is also a land of rage, discouraging to the visitor, Trump signs adorning every shack, hovel, and compound. Our route took us over the upper tier of Trumpistan (even Jordan, Montana). We were happy to land, after two days' hard driving, in the UP, where we began seeing more than a sprinkling of Biden/Harris yard signs. But memories of our travels in the fall of 2016 linger....

Our one stop in ND was the Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Much of which is TR's former ranch

If you had a ranch on Mars, it might look pretty much like this

Welcome to Michigan

Camped at a free site on Lake Sunday; Wakefield, MI (the
vicar was not in)

Obligatory sunset view

Obligatory heritage tribute

Adieu, Missoula; Again

On October 5th, the doctor pronounced Vicki's cataract operations successful and said come back in a year (or so). And with that, our second month in Missoula came to an end. That second month was much like the first: visits with friends, old and new, work at our storage unit, some (distant and masked) shopping, some more work on the camper, etc. And, of course, the two surgeries, pre-op and post-op appointments. But on October 5th we departed Missoula, as much a home as we have, heading east for some months of travels. (There are dozens of "Missoula" posts on this blog, if you're interested. Just search "Missoula" in the search box).

The Big Sky is always interesting: here, above our storage center,
a B-25 flies by; I have an ear for those old multi-engines...

Just visiting; one of a score still (amazingly) flying, 1944 
version

Trying out new camping-ware

Omelette puttanesca

I swear we parked legally the whole time we were there

At a truck stop north of town: click to enlarge and you'll see a
toy dump truck lashed down on the flat-bed...wearing a mask 

Our work at our storage unit is down to the

minutiae: here, a recipe Vicki got for me, via

the Dallas Morning News, of a favorite dish 

from a favorite restaurant; alas, thousands of 

papers to go through, but many fond memories

We left the shed in pretty good shape...

Backpacking In Blodgett Canyon

Vicki had been agitating for another backpacking trip. I was content to let the "W" in Patagonia or even the Inca Trail in Peru serve as my final backpacking adventures. But she prevailed, and on September 1st, the 12th anniversary of our departure for retirement travels, we camped at the tiny Forest Service campground at the mouth of Blodgett Canyon, in the Bitterroots, an hour's drive south of Missoula. 

During our years in Montana, 1995-2008, we'd hiked or over-nighted in these mountains many times. Our last visit was in 2015, post-retirement, doing the Bear, Kootenai, and Blodgett canyons. 

But those were just day-hikes. Vicki wanted the real thing: carrying packs on our backs for miles, uphill, ever watchful for large hungry predators, pitching a tiny mountain tent on uneven, rocky ground, eating freeze-dried backapacka slop for dinner (I did bring a small vessel of wine), hanging everything odoriferous in a bear-proof bag high in a tree well away from our tent-site, and discovering, too late, that my inflatable sleeping pad had a leak. On the plus side, it was too dry for mosquitoes or other bugs, the temperatures were pleasant, and the skies were beautifully clear, at least until early the next morning when a gale came up, blowing wildfire smoke over the divide from Idaho. I have been reading Daniel Matthews' Trees in Trouble, and my concern that the fire jump the divide and overwhelm us, at gale-force speeds, before we could return to the campground, propelled us, me anyway, on the flip-side of the hike. 

In any case, we enjoyed the full glory of all this, camping near the waterfall beyond the bridge, perhaps 5 miles up the canyon. It was as far as our 70-something legs would carry us, bearing our 16 and 22 pound packs and accoutrements as well. Blodgett Canyon is a beautiful place, the Bitterroots' Yosemite Valley, walls and crags and pinnacles lining both sides of the 10-mile canyon. Except for a few day-hikers and dog-walkers, we had it all to ourselves. I can't say it was fun, not entirely anyway, but it was satisfying to know we can still do this, at least for short and non-strenuous distances. And I can't say we won't do another backpacking trip.

At Lost Trail Pass: at least there was no Trump sticker

Approaching Blodgett Canyon

Campsite #4 (of 5)

Beginning of the excellent trail

Intrepid backapacka Vicki

Along the way...walls, pinnacles, great rock...

Actual beaver dam

More walls, pinnacles...

OK, it's not El Cap

Waterfall #1

At the bridge, looking back to the Bitterroot Valley and mountains beyond

And toward the head of the canyon

The very famous Gothic arch (13th century); all that remains of the abbey of St. Blodgettus

Above our campsite

The creek, just before waterfall #2; better at high tide

Vicki expertly hoisting our bear bag

Over the years, we have gotten much better at pitching tents (tent technology has gotten much better, too)

Falls #2

Next morning, looking back up the canyon, smoke, rising ominously...

Looking toward the Valley, you can barely see it or the range beyond

But we made it back, showered, crashed, had an enjoyable dinner, a campfire, and, with the
skies clearing, enjoyed yet another wonderful alpenglow